Whats up guys, I was cruising some of my pictures from when I started boarding the other day, found some of my first boat. Pretty funny stuff, but good memories. Got me thinking about what my I/O wake setup was like.. Figured Id start a thread for it. Post up some pictures if you have any from your I/O... Give em a little love...

Before you begin your mockery, This was over 10 years ago.. I was a broke college student.. Yes it was a homemade tower... And yes I was wearing gloves.. Learned to throw down behind that jewel though... Haters gone hate...

Which school playground did you steal that tower from? Lol...just kidding! My first boat that I learned to ride on was a 17.5 foot Key West
center console fishing boat. Had a massive 13 inch wake and 90hp of unleashed fury! We rode behind that bad boy for 2-3 years and
I can honestly say we had a blast. Whatever gets you on the water I say. My old girlfriend grew up on a lake and her dad's boat was an
old aluminum tri hull with no windshield or seats. They used coolers and lawn chairs for seats, no joke!

I learned to ride behind a pontoon boat when I was a kid. My wife and I bought our first boat instead of going on a honeymoon - a 99 Regal 1800 i/o then we moved to a 2005 searay 185 sport before finally figuring out we need an inbaord. We love our tige but that searay was an aesome family boat.

Laughing at the Fakesetter. I learned how to wakeboard behind an I/O. I still do from time to time when I can't get out on a buddy's inboard.
It's been in the family since 1978, it's a 1973. We're the second owners and it has given us many good memories over the years.

No kidding.. I am new to this site and new to a true wakeboard/wakesurf boat.... but I had no idea the misguided hatred to those that have other types of boats. It seems pretty childish.

hatred might be a strong word.

But my point is that the old wakeworld crowd has been replaced by a strange group of people... no one frequents the site anymore....there arent nearly as many build threads or much of anyone doing anything anymore..... look at peoples join dates, its all a new group. No more good discussion. All the major contributors have been run off.

Lots of hate towards Moose.... which bothers me, but thats for a different thread.

I grew up riding behind my dad's outboard Bayliner with a home built extended pylon. I learned all of my fundamentals (basic inverts and even a couple of mobes) behind it. I love shredding behind it a couple of times a year. I love rolling into a line of wakeboats with it.

I'm not going to lie. I really miss the good-old days sometimes. Maybe its a part of getting older, but I wish it could go back to where no one cared what boat you had and shred was all that mattered. Now it is all about your boat, your boathouse, your truck--hell there was a thread where men were naming off their wife in a list of property. You can't buy your way into this sport. You need to put in the time. I'll agree that a lot of experts have been ran off this site by people who had no business talking back in the first place. The quality of posters on this site has gone down significantly.

I've stuck around because I love the sport and enjoy talking about it, but enough with the stuff. I've said it for a long time: Only one thing make you a wakeboarder and it is putting on a board and riding it.

I grew up riding behind my dad's outboard Bayliner with a home built extended pylon. I learned all of my fundamentals (basic inverts and even a couple of mobes) behind it. I love shredding behind it a couple of times a year. I love rolling into a line of wakeboats with it.

I'm not going to lie. I really miss the good-old days sometimes. Maybe its a part of getting older, but I wish it could go back to where no one cared what boat you had and shred was all that mattered. Now it is all about your boat, your boathouse, your truck--hell there was a thread where men were naming off their wife in a list of property. You can't buy your way into this sport. You need to put in the time. I'll agree that a lot of experts have been ran off this site by people who had no business talking back in the first place. The quality of posters on this site has gone down significantly.

I've stuck around because I love the sport and enjoy talking about it, but enough with the stuff. I've said it for a long time: Only one thing make you a wakeboarder and it is putting on a board and riding it.

Sorry for the "Get off my lawn" old guy rant.

Hey man, its all about fun on the water, I get that, dont get me wrong, but this is wakeworld, we arent on the water. I know that I dont have to click the link. Im just drawing attention to the extreme downward spiral that IS wakeworld over the past 2 years. Once wetsounds build thread got deleted, that was the end of the game and I should have just given up then. Seriously, who wants to look at pictures of I/O's ? They are like ugly girlsfriends, we have all had them, they can be some great fun, but you dont generally wanna brag and show pictures....

Wakeworld used to be full of quality discussion, great arguments, awesome build threads, industry gossip, some kickass videos, and AWESOME BOATS. Now the few people left just flame moose and anyone who likes MB or Tige

It is unfortunate what wake world my has become. But if people constantly bash people that are useing something they may not feel is worthy what good does that do for the site or the sport. All it does is make those people stop coming to the site. We all start somewhere and most are past the point of careing what a couple of guys on a forum think. Funny most talking the trash don't even own a boat of there own. I see nothing wrong with some I/O folks sharing there boats and what they have done to make them a little better for wakeboarding. But hey, you are entitled to your opinion. Have a nice night.

For most of us the I/O is a stepping stone toward a real wakeboat. What is wrong with putting on some training wheels before a kid learns to ride a bike.

For most people , before they spend 20k-100k on something for a sport they probably want to get better at that sport and thats where the io shines.

We have all been around the people who drop the big cash on a boat that can barely ride. And maybe they just want it to go party and cruise with. But you should never bash somebody for having an i/o witha tower and such because they are probably out there because they want to ride and get better.

I couldn't have afforded my boat without having my old i/o and using the money from selling it to go buy my boat.

For most of us the I/O is a stepping stone toward a real wakeboat. What is wrong with putting on some training wheels before a kid learns to ride a bike.

For most people , before they spend 20k-100k on something for a sport they probably want to get better at that sport and thats where the io shines.

We have all been around the people who drop the big cash on a boat that can barely ride. And maybe they just want it to go party and cruise with. But you should never bash somebody for having an i/o witha tower and such because they are probably out there because they want to ride and get better.

I couldn't have afforded my boat without having my old i/o and using the money from selling it to go buy my boat.

Dont hate people for loving the water.

EXACTLY.... We initially were in the market for a cheap used boat to first fiind out how much time as a family we would use it. We didn't know crap about boats, wakeboarding or anything else...just wanted to get out on the lake a drag the kids around on a tube.

We ended up getting a great deal on a new Tahoe....and it was an awesome boat. The kids really started to like wakeboarding and as a family we wanted to try out wakesurfing.

The Tahoe was just a stepping stone... you don't jump out and spend $65k or more before you know you are get your monies worth.

Instead of criticizing folks.. people should be welcoming and encouraging others to get involved.

I spent many years on my pops outboard before I bought a beat-down closed bow Malibu. When I moved to a boat with a tower I thought I hit the big-time. All of my early years I dreamed of owning a high-end wake machine, but looking back the journey is what I have appreciated most. I feel sorry for those people who have never had to do a quick-pick-up to keep the boat from dying. The boats I have owned over the years tells the story of my life.

Wakeboarders wakeboard--It is that simple. All the boat in the world won't buy your way out of being a kook.

But my point is that the old wakeworld crowd has been replaced by a strange group of people... no one frequents the site anymore....there arent nearly as many build threads or much of anyone doing anything anymore..... look at peoples join dates, its all a new group. No more good discussion. All the major contributors have been run off.

its ironic this thread was started by someone who's been here longer than you...

its ironic this thread was started by someone who's been here longer than you...

Here, i will rephrase....

But my point is that the old wakeworld crowd has been replaced by a strange group of people... no one frequents the site anymore....there arent nearly as many build threads or much of anyone doing anything anymore..... look at peoples join dates, its MOSTLY a new group. No more good discussion. All the major contributors have been run off.

Some of you have an interesting look on life, I will leave it at that... I am on a HP restricted lake and while it's nice to ride my friends 'real wake boats' on other lakes a few times a month, the fact that I can conveniently live close to work and get sessions in the evenings, early morning glass, etc far outweighs the alternative. (trailering, hassles, longer commute, high traffic lakes)

I myself am a fairly new member here but a few months ago there was a thread discussing the traffic on wakeworld. Some were saying it was just that time of year when things slow down and others were saying that wakeboarding in general had kind of slowed/plateau'd. Once the mention of wakeboarding growth slowing/plateauing was mentioned, the cost of boats quickly came up. The days of wakeboarding behind a sacked out malibu response are gone and now the boat to have is a 100k plus monster of a boat.

So I find it funny that in one thread people are complaining about the cost of boats and the fact that the increasing cost is hampering the sport, yet in this thread there are people being bagged out for driving an "inferior" boat. In a lot of cases the photo's in this thread are people's first boats which they have upgraded from.

I drive a '92 model DD ski boat and with a bit of weight in it puts out a good enough wake for a beginner like myself but it also is brilliant for skiing which I enjoy and a full day out costs me about $75 worth of fuel. Its the first boat I have owned but it won't be the last. I have also seen i/o boats that put out just as good of a wake or better when they are weighted correctly.

While its nice to have the latest and greatest sometimes its fun to look back and see where the sport has come from and where it is still for some. Wakeboarding isn't about who can spend the most money on a day out, its about hitting the water with friends, family and having a blast

I myself am a fairly new member here but a few months ago there was a thread discussing the traffic on wakeworld. Some were saying it was just that time of year when things slow down and others were saying that wakeboarding in general had kind of slowed/plateau'd. Once the mention of wakeboarding growth slowing/plateauing was mentioned, the cost of boats quickly came up. The days of wakeboarding behind a sacked out malibu response are gone and now the boat to have is a 100k plus monster of a boat.

So I find it funny that in one thread people are complaining about the cost of boats and the fact that the increasing cost is hampering the sport, yet in this thread there are people being bagged out for driving an "inferior" boat. In a lot of cases the photo's in this thread are people's first boats which they have upgraded from.

I drive a '92 model DD ski boat and with a bit of weight in it puts out a good enough wake for a beginner like myself but it also is brilliant for skiing which I enjoy and a full day out costs me about $75 worth of fuel. Its the first boat I have owned but it won't be the last. I have also seen i/o boats that put out just as good of a wake or better when they are weighted correctly.

While its nice to have the latest and greatest sometimes its fun to look back and see where the sport has come from and where it is still for some. Wakeboarding isn't about who can spend the most money on a day out, its about hitting the water with friends, family and having a blast

+1 for that reply! All is so true! Our family has a 18ft Larson with a monster tower and every summer our family have an absolute blast with it! Having a true wake boat would be nice and all, but this boat is affordable and paid for so it works great!

Hi guys, I would love to be able to afford a big Mastercraft or Nautique, sometimes I go down the boat dealers and sit in one and dream. But I can't, and I don't have the room to store one, so I have to be perfectly happy with my Crownline 180 with a universal tower. We're not professional boarders, or even very good amateurs, my wife and kids just love having a great time out on the lakes and the sea - wakeboarding, kneeboarding and tubing and anything else you can do on a multi-purpose boat.

The wake is big enough to do jumps and stuff - maybe the kids will progress to doing "toeside 180 tantrums to fakie" etc etc but for the moment this boat serves our needs wonderfully.

Where did you set up the ballast in the boat, looks very even and clean

the boat is actually a monterey 185. we put about 700 in the front and and a 550 in between the driver and end of the seats with a 50 behind that and people in the seats adjusted to make the boat even, along with it trimmed up. basically the boat was sitting pretty level.

I've been both guys. The guy with a 15.5 ft 1976 tri hull with a 100HP 2 stroke motor that we had to mix oil and gas for, and now I own a 2013 MC. The times and memories shared on all of my boats are priceless and starting out on the outboard really makes you appreciate the new Vdrives. Those days of bring jerry cans full of oil and gas bring a smile to my face. We than upgrade to an I/O and it was a fun boat too. What I hated about my I/O was the washy wake and the difficulty holding speed, especially with some weight. As much as I loved riding, it was no fun cutting out riding at 20 mph and than as you cut in to try a trick the boat accelerates and is now going 25. Ya, I don't miss that at all. When I talk to people looking at boats, I always say how much I'd rather own a quality old Vdrive than a shiny new I/O. Most people seem to end up with the shiny new I/O because it looks cooler or is new and after the first season, if they are actually into wake boarding, are quick to admit that they wish they bought a Vdrive. It's just a better experience for wake boarding especially if you are interested in progressing. Of course there are always going to be guys who shred on an I/O or claim how awesome they are but in my opinion a Vdrive is just far superior for water sports.

Now for drinking beer and hanging out, the better boat is the one with the better stereo or more beer. Who am I kidding, I'm married with kids and the only time we have the stereo loud is when someone is riding, and our boat has more juice boxes than beer on any given day.

Now for drinking beer and hanging out, the better boat is the one with the better stereo or more beer. Who am I kidding, I'm married with kids and the only time we have the stereo loud is when someone is riding, and our boat has more juice boxes than beer on any given day.

2nd best quote of the thread. You guys are awesome!

That said, I didn't start wakeboarding behind an I/O because we never threw down an bought a "skurfer" before my parents sold the boat. LOL. Have I dated myself?

I was spoiled and my first wakeboarding experience was behind an MB Sports Boss 200 in 1997 on a Neptune GTO with no one to teach me because we didn't know a damn person that had actually wakeboarded before us. Long live the memories of the good old days!